Convention centers are commonplace in most major US cities with almost 1.8 million conferences, conventions, trade shows and similar events taking place yearly.
The sheer number of convention centers in the United States has made the market highly competitive, putting pressure on these venues to expand and add the latest innovations to attract events. Below we have put together what we consider the top convention and trade show centers in the United States.
Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, the award-winning 3.9 million-square-foot Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) is the largest LEED Gold certified convention center in the world and the fourth largest convention center in the country.
Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC)
285 Andrew Young International Blvd. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30313
(404) 223-4000
Total Square Feet: 3.9 million-square-foot
Exhibition space: 1,500,000 sq ft
12 exhibit halls - on three interconnected buildings
98 meeting rooms
Popular Events: MODEX, International Woodworking Fair, Global Security Exchange, SECO
Considered the Largest Convention Center on the West Coast of the U.S., the Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) is consistently ranked as one of the top meeting venues in the U.S. in terms of its size, attendance, overall building services and amenities.
Anaheim Convention Center
800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802
Total Square Feet: 1.8 million square feet
Exhibition space: 1,013,607 sq ft
Seating space: Arena seating for 7,500
Meeting rooms: 99
Outdoor event space: 200,000 square feet
Popular Events: Disney D23 Expo, VidCon (since 2010), BlizzCon, WonderCon, Star Wars Celebration, NAMM Show, Orange County Auto Show
McCormick Place is the largest convention center in the United States. This premier convention center with four state-of-the-art buildings is a popular choice for hosting large conferences and annual events.
McCormick Place
2301 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive,
Chicago, Illinois 60616
Phone: 312-791-7000
www.mccormickplace.com
Exhibition space: 2,600,000 sq ft
Meeting rooms: 173 meeting rooms
Meeting space: 600,000 sq. ft. of meeting space
Ballrooms: 6 ballrooms
Theater: Arie Crown Theater (4,249-seat venue)
Hotel: Connected to the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
Popular Events: Chicago Auto Show, International Household Goods Show, National Restaurant Association
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (KBHCCD) is located in the heart of downtown Dallas, TX and is one of the largest convention centers in the country. Events can take advantage of 726,726 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, including a 203,000 square-foot, column-free exhibit hall – the largest in the United States.
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (KBHCCD)
650 S. Griffin St., Dallas, Texas 75202
Phone: (214) 939-2700 | Toll Free: 877-850-2100
www.dallasconventioncenter.com
Total Square Feet: 1,386,099 sq. ft.
Exhibition space: 1,000,000 sq. ft.
Additional venue options include, three ballrooms, 96 meeting rooms, 1,750-seat theater, and a 9,816-seat arena.
Located along the famous Vegas Strip, the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) is one of the busiest convention centers in the United States. Known largely for its versatility and impressive size, the LVCC is a popular choice among event planners.
Las Vegas Convention Center
3150 Paradise Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 892-0711
Total Square Feet: a 4.6 million-square-foot
Exhibition space: 2,500,000 square feet
(including 328,000 square feet of column-free space at the West Hall)
Number of Meeting Rooms: 225 - 400,000 square feet of meeting room space
Popular Events: Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), CONEXPO, MAGIC Las Vegas
Located on the world-renowned Las Vegas Strip, is the 2.25 million square feet Venetian Expo Center has earned its place as one of the largest convention centers in the nation. This venue provides versatile convention options for small meetings, international conventions, corporate tradeshows, and grand weddings.
Venetian Expo & Convention Center
201 Sands Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89169
Venetian Expo Phone Number (702) 733-5556
Connected Hotels: Connected to the Venetian and Palazzo hotels
Exhibition space: 2.25 million sq ft
Popular Events: SHOT Show, Imex America, AAPEX, ISC West, JCK Las Vegas
Located approximately 1 mile from the Louisville International Airport, The Kentucky Exposition Center is one of the largest convention centers on the East Coast. Commonly called the Fairgrounds, the Kentucky Exposition Center is the perfect venue to host your upcoming convention or large-scale event.
Kentucky Exposition Center
937 Phillips Ln, Louisville, KY 40209
502-367-5000
Exhibition space: 1,200,000 sq ft
Theater: Broadbent Arena (600 seats)
Popular Events: Kentucky State Fair, VEX Robotics World Championships, and the National Farm Machinery Show, North American International Livestock Expo, Mid-America Trucking Show, National Street Rod Association Nationals
Considered one of the nation’s top convention centers, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center ranks sixth in size and is located next to the world-famous French Quarter, home to live jazz music, incomparable cuisine, and nightlife.
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
900 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: (504) 582-3023
Total Square Feet: 3,000,000
Exhibition space: 1,100,000 sq ft
Number of Meeting Rooms: 140
Popular Events: Xerocon Americas, New Orleans Tattoo Arts Convention, Essence Fest
Located on Manhattan's west-side riverfront, the Javits Center ranks as one of the United States' busiest convention centers. The Javits Center attracts tradeshows, conferences, and conventions from all over the world. The Javits Center spans six city blocks and contains four levels of exhibit halls, meeting rooms and terrace suites and offices.
Jacob Javits Convention Center
429 11th Ave, New York, NY 10001
(11th Ave. Between 34th and 40th Streets)
Total Square Feet: 1,200,000 sq. ft.
Exhibition space: 850,000 sq. ft.
Meeting space: 160,000 square feet, and 102 total meeting rooms.
Orange County Convention Center is the second largest conference center in the United States. This award-winning facility hosts more than 230 events every year and has spaces for every size of event.
Orange County Convention Center – Orlando
9800 International Dr, Orlando, FL
Total Square Feet: 7,000,000 sq ft
Exhibition Space: 2,053,820 sq ft
Number of Meeting Rooms: 74
Lecture Hall: 160 seats
Popular Events: InfoComm, ICSC Conference, AHR Expo, Surf Expo, and IAAPA Expo
Located along the San Diego Bay, the San Diego Convention Center sits in the center of a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly downtown area.
San Diego Convention Center
111 W Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
619-525-5000
Total Square Feet: 2,600,000
Exhibition space: 615,701 sq. ft.
Number of Meeting Rooms: 72
Popular Events: Comic-Con International, Society for Neuroscience, TwitchCon, Esri International User Conference
The Moscone Center is San Francisco's premier location for meetings, conferences and exhibitions. Comprised of North, South and West halls, the Moscone Center encompasses over two million square feet of space, including over 738,000 square feet of exhibit space. The Moscone Center also provides convenient access to downtown San Francisco's many hotels and attractions.
Moscone Convention Center
747 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94103
(the corner of Third & Howard streets)
Tel: 415-974-4000
www.moscone.com
Total Square Feet: 2 million square feet
Exhibition space: 738,000 square feet
152,000 square feet of pre-function lobbies
Number of Meeting Rooms: 107
The Walter E. Washington Convention Center is D.C.’s biggest meeting and convention facility. With a mix of exhibit space, breakout rooms, and meeting space, this center can accommodate up to 42,000 attendees.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place, NW,
Washington, D.C., 20001
Total Square Feet: 2,300,000 sq ft
Exhibition Space: 703,000 sq ft
Number of Meeting Rooms: 77
Washington Auto Show
National Western Rodeo and Stock Show
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Fly-in
National Farm Machinery Show
MAGIC Fashion (August and February)
Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
New York International Gift Fair (NY NOW)
ASD Marketweek Las Vegas
Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
World AG Expo
CONEXPO-CON/AGG
The Utility Expo
